In case you missed it, this just happened- 12 local restaurants and farms came together to create a culinary showcase all in support of education for the next generation of hospitality and culinary students in Palm Beach County. What does EATS stand for? (Education, Agriculture, Together, Showcase)

Some of the best restaurants in Palm Beach came out to create and support the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association at the EATS event hosted under the stars at the West Palm Beach Hilton. Chef’s from The Regional, Eau Palm Beach, Harvest Seasonal Grill, The Blend Bistro, Echo at the Breakers and more joined forces to create mini-masterpieces with fresh produce from local farmers.

Pistache French Bistro worked with Spivey Farms/ Roe & Sons to create a Slow Orange & Almond Cake with a Local Berry Compote.

Over 200 hospitality industry professionals, friends, teachers, students and foodies converged on Friday night in the open air lawn of the West Palm Beach Hilton to enjoy great food, fun and some amazing auction prizes.

The ProStart and HTMP students from Palm Beach area high schools participated by serving, hosting and welcoming guests. FAU professors, students and alumni also took part in the fun by working various stations, assisting with photography and the auction. Florida’s top two industries are Tourism and Agriculture. This powerful collaboration has unlimited potential to grow into a signature event for Palm Beach County. Florida has 112 million visitors a year and in 2016 they spent $111 billion in our state. The Agriculture industry employees over 2 million people and contributes $104 billion to the state’s economy. Look for a bigger and better EATS event next year. We hope to see you there!

Testimonials

Read how CNMI improved other businesses:

"Jodi and I have been serving on the The Commonwealth Institute Board for many years. As the Executive Director of TCI, she has demonstrated what "execution" is all about and led others to keep our vision alive. Each and every initiative we partnered with touched and inspired many women owned businesses and executives to move their businesses forward; knowing that they have our organization behind them."

"From the moment we interviewed Jodi we knew she would be a great asset to our team of consultants. She drove results for our clients, built strong relationships internally with co-workers and externally with clients and partners. She is strategic, able to influence stakeholders and can manage highly complex and cross-functional programs."

“I've not only reported to Jodi, but I've worked side-by-side on projects over the course of ten years. I can describe Jodi in two words: Creative and resourceful! As a marketer, she truly enjoys thinking out-of-the-box without going over-budget. She's tough yet logical; smart and funny. We’ve worked together at Doral Golf Resort & Spa and Sonesta Hotels, including Trump International. She’s the kind of person you want on your team, because she’s able to take a project from beginning to end with excellent results. She has strong work ethic and really looks out for your best interest.”

"For over 10 years Jodi worked on multiple branding and marketing initiatives for Sonesta. Jodi is highly respected in the industry as a strategic thinker and results oriented brand leader. She has a unique skill set that combines a creative approach to problem solving along with an ability to articulate a clear strategic vision. Jodi understands the importance of integrating marketing from both a corporate prospective and on a property level. She was instrumental in re-branding Sonesta, launching our first loyalty program- Travel Pass and creating Food is Art a brand-wide initiative that took Sonesta to a new level. Her work ethic and focus helped move Sonesta forward."